Chapter originally posted on AO3, 12th August 2018
February 14th 1993
"Eyes like chocolate balls?" Draco teased Harry, "Merlin, that was a hilarious card!"
"You shouldn't have teased Ginny, Dray," Hermione chided their blonde friend.
"I fefinitely should have. I'm teasing Granger more, anyway," Draco laughed. "Chocolate balls, that's just brilliant!"
"Shut it, Malfoy, that's my sister you're bullying," Ron snarled.
"Relax, Weasley," Draco drawled. "Anyway, at least Granger got one Valentine. I got five, Hermione got... how many? I lost count. Did you get any? Didn't think so."
"Well, bet all of yours came from that pug-faced Pansy Parkinson."
"She's not all bad," Draco defended the girl.
"Oh she is," Ron snapped.
"Stop it, you two," Hermione sighed. "Such a fight for some silly cards."
"Funny, haven't seen Lockhart all day," Harry interrupted the impending fight. "I'd have thought he'd be attending all meals and boasting about his cards."
"He's hiding in his office," Draco said. "One of the sixth-year Prefects said Flitwick Jinxed his pants to shrink, and that he's hiding from McGonagall and Snape."
"That's Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, Dray," Hermione corrected.
"Fine."
"Why would he hide from Mc... Professor McGonagall?" Neville asked.
"I heard he tried to transfigure her clothes to pink. She stopped him just on time. Snape threatened to poison him."
"With his skills he'd have probably vanished her clothes," Ron snickered. "Remember what he did to Hermione?" The rest of the friends groaned.
"Did you send Lockhart a Valentine, Hermione?" Neville asked. "I know Lavender Brown did."
"No!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Sorry, just asking," Neville defended himself. "Seems like almost every girl did."
"I don't like him," Hermione said. "I don't know... he doesn't even teach us properly. I get a funny feeling from him... I don't like it. Or him."
"The Cornish Pixies were outrageous," Harry agreed, and Ron hummed in agreement, while Neville blanched at the memory and shivered.
"Did you send anyone a card?" Ron asked Hermione. The girl flushed and began rummaging through her bag.
"She sent one, but not to Lockhart," Draco said with a wide and snide smile.
"Shut up, Malfoy," Hermione hissed, her face red with embarrassment. Draco merely laughed at her, and their friends exchanged confused looks.
February 25th 1993
"Hermione, can I borrow a handkerchief?" Ginny Weasley asked as she stepped into Hermione's room. "I can't find mine, I've no idea where I've put it."
"Sure, Gin," Hermione said. "They're in my trunk. Let me find one," she replied, walking to her trunk and opening it, beginning to rummage through all the items she'd tossed in.
"Have you anything planned for Ron's birthday?" Ginny asked as she watched the elder girl search for the handkerchief.
"Yes, I was planning on a game night. We already did Quidditch for Harry, and Professor Dumbledore did promise us the Room of Requirement again, but it wouldn't be quite as easy. Perhaps some flying obstacles, but I was planning on a game night with Wizard's Chess, Exploding Snap, some Muggle board games and treats, things that Ron likes," Hermione said as she tossed Harry Granger's strange book and a pile of some old notes on the floor. She thought she heard Ginny draw breath behind her and turned, seeing the girl had gone a bit pale. "Gin? Are you all right?"
"Fine... fine," she said.
"Something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong."
"Oh, all right," she said and frowned. "Found one," she declared and pulled a clean handkerchief from her trunk: she's gotten a few of them as present from Hestia Jones last Christmas, embroidered with her initials. She began packing the things back into her trunk. "Promise you won't tell Ron what I've planned, all right? He's so nosy!"
"I promise," Ginny whispered faintly, as Hermione placed the book, the papers and other items back into her trunk, making a mental note to rearrange the trunk soon.
Severus Snape, April 9th 1993
The staff meeting was utterly boring. The staff droned on and on about the students now that many of them were on holiday: as per usual, Hermione Potter and her little gang was a major topic of discussion.
"She signed up for everything!" Minerva gushed with pride. "Every subject, though she must understand that the timetable will conflict. But she's so clever! And so eager to learn."
"The timetable conflict must be resolved. I will need to think about it," Albus said.
"I definitely must have her in my class," Septima Vector said with determination. "I've spoken to her and I've never met such a bright young mind. If I must, I will give her lessons separately." Both Aurora Sinistra and Bathsheda Babbling nodded vigorously.
"I wouldn't call her anything special," Lockhart scoffed in an insulted tone. "I have a lot of students more eager to learn in my classes."
"Perhaps you should ask them something other than the colour of your favourite socks, Lockhart," Severus snarled. "Miss Potter is so eager to learn that sometimes one feels the urge to glue her to her seat lest she jump up from it with the force that she uses to thrust her hand up in the air at every opportune moment. And perhaps apply the Silencing Charm on her at each lesson to stop her from responding to every question."
"Now now, Severus, Gilderoy," Albus placated, and gestured soothingly at Minerva, who'd bristled indignantly from the slights to her favourite cub. "Miss Potter is an eager student, and your bias on Gryffindor is widely known, Severus. Gilderoy, if her test scores at the end of term seem disappointing, I will discuss it with her, as her legal guardian," Albus said, casting a glance at Lockhart that spoke volumes: Albus adored Hermione Potter and was very protective of her.
Severus would never have admitted it, but Hermione Potter was his favourite student as well. Although it was still a bit too early to scope the true magnitude of her skill, talent and aptitude at Potions, she followed the instructions perfectly and easily, demonstrating willingness to learn and ability to concentrate that was rare in pupils as young as she was. These were the moments he most hated his position: when the Dark Lord would return, he'd have to return to his side, and any favour shown to Hermione Potter at Hogwarts would surely be known.
Silvanus Kettleburn cleared his voice. "I have to announce that I will not be around next year. I have chosen to retire. It would have been interesting to teach a young mind as inquisitive and promising as young Miss Potter, but I would like to retire before I loose any more of appendages."
The rest of the staff congratulated Kettleburn for his retirement, but Severus kept quiet. He wouldn't miss Kettleburn, who was reckless and all too enthusiastic.
"How are the Mandrakes, Pomona?"
"Well, they all have acne, although it's starting to clear up, there have been several raucous parties since the end of March, and some of them have become broody and are moping frequently, so they're maturing as expected," Pomona said. "We'll have them ready soon, and then Severus can begin brewing the Restorative Draught."
"I could very easily do the brewing, of course," Lockhart said airily. "But alas, my schedule is much too busy..."
"Yes yes, Gilderoy," Albus said. "Now, moving on in the agenda, I hope everyone remembers to start preparing for the final exams? We'll need to schedule who supervises the O.W.L.'s and the N.E.W.T.'s this year. The Apparition tests for the sixth years are scheduled..."
